Tank stabilizing system for a ship and the like



July 20, 1965 S. B. FIELD TANK STABILIZING SYSTEM FOR A SHIP AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1963 FIGJ 3 Sheets-Sheet l VALVES 22a 22 b 22c 22d INACTIVE C C C C ship srarboard 10.1% roll #0 pop} C O O C ship upriqh+ movinq +0 pom C C O C ship DownporLsfcm roll +0 srarboard O C C O sHeLooN g i gfg ship upriqhr, BY moving -ro C C C 0 mflm, starboard 9 {AM ATTORNEYS y 1965 s. B. FIELD 3,195,497

TANK STABILIZING SYSTEM FOR A SHIP AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

STARBOARD FIG. 2

CIRCULATION 8 INVENTOR n SHELDON B. FIELD BY mfiMMWM ATTORNEYS July 20, 1965 s. B. FIELD 3,195,497

TANK STABILIZING SYSTEM FOR A SHIP AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 GYRO- STABLE ELEMENT INVENTOR SHELDON B. FIELD ORNEYJ' United States Patent 3,195,497 TANK STABHLIZING SYSTEM FOR A SHIP AND THE LIKE Sheldon B. Field, Floral Park, N.Y., assignor to John J.

McMullen Associates, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 28, 1363, Ser. No. 261,797 7 Claims. (Cl. 114-125) The present invention relates to a ship stabilization system and, more particularly, to an activated tank stabilizer system in which positive means are provided for controlling the flow of liquid in the system from one tank to another.

On oceangoing vessels the need for combating ship motion due to wave action has long been realized. There have been a variety of devices and designs directed at reducing undesirable motion in a seaway. Roll stabilization, the .aim of the present invention, has continued to be a problem to be reckoned with although various devices for reducing roll are in operation today on many types of craft.

Many vessels use one type or another of antiroll fins projecting from the sides of the vessel to create large resistances to rolling action. Some of these fins are fixed while others are controllable, but all fail to prevent roll in heavy seas at speeds below about knots. On ships designed for loW speeds, such as missile tracking vessels while on station, antirolling fins are inefiective.

In icebreaking vessels, a very severe rolling action is encountered in heavy seas due to the inherent design of the ship. The ship must be capable of heeling to break itself free from ice. This is accomplished by designing the ship with a round bottom and facilitating heel by use of heeling tanks. ship very unsteady in heavy seas and it will be realized that many projections from the side of the hull are prohibited due to the stresses exerted by ice. Therefore, antiroll fins and bilge keels are impractical on icebreaking vessels.

A system of tanks for shifting the center of gravity of a vessel to create a righting moment to rolling or heeling action has also been tried. These systems utilized, generally, a pair of closed tanks, one located on each side of the ship and connected by a U-shaped crossover tube which was completely filled with water while in operation and also by an air duct connected between the tops of the tanks and having a valve for controlling the flow of air between the tanks.

These stabilizers were tried on a number of vessels but were found to suffer from several serious disadvantages. One disadvantage was the excessively noisy operation. The controllable air fiow between the tanks acted as a damping system to prevent too rapid an exchange of water between the tanks. To sustain suficient pressure in the line for adequate damping, the flow of air through the constricted portion attained very high velocities and was exceptionally noisy.

This system required that the lowest level of water in a tank during transfer could not fall below the top of the crossover duct, otherwise the damping of the system would not be operable.

In activated stabilizer systems used heretofore, there has been the problem of properly controlling the system due to the fact that the pump in the system has not been .able to act fast enough and pump in first one direction and then the opposite direction to give etficient stabilization, as said systems have generally required the pumping means to act in both directions to perform the function of reducing the ships roll.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an activated stabilizer system for use in a vessel which elim- These qualities, however, make the inates the difficulties encountered in systems used heretoiore.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an activated stabilizer system for a vessel provided with a head tank and wing tanks and a sump tank with positive means for controlling the flow of liquid from one tank to another and which positive means provides precise control during all cycles of operation of the ship.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an activated stabilizer system for preventing rolling of a ship with automatic valve control means operatively associated with each tank in the system so that there are four cycles of operation to reduce the rolling motion of the ship.

t is another object of the present invention to provide an active tank stabilization system which is relatively quiet in operation in comparison with known devices used heretofore.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an antiroll tank stabilization system which requires a minimum of attendance and which is economical in cost, weight and space.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an activated stabilizer to prevent excessive rolling motion of a ship which operates basically by gravity flow of water from a reserve or head tank to an outboard or wing tank on either side of the ship, but with automatic and positive control means for controlling the flow of water by gravity from the head tank to the outboard tank in proper sequence with the trim or motion of the ship at a predetermined time.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an activated tank stabilizer system for a vessel in which water from a head or reserve tank flows by gravity to either wing tank and then to a sump tank, and in which positive means are provided for returning Water from a sump tank that communicates with either wing tank at a given time so as to supply additional water to the head or reserve tank.

it is another object of the present invention to provide an activated stabilizer system for a vessel having automatic valve actuating means for proper control of the fiow of water from one tank to another so that precise and positive control of the roll of the ship is obtained.

It is another object of the present invention to provide stabilizer system for a vessel which is capable of being used as an active stabilizer system at one time, as a passive stabilizer system at another time, and which can be used at still another time for heeling the vessel. The heeling of the vessel is understood and intended to mean operating the stabilizer system during a period when the vessel is relatively motionless or static. Such a period for purposes of illustration would be When a vessel is in an ice pack or floe. At this time the ship or vessel would not be rolling as when it is underway during normal steaming operations. The stabilizer system of the pres.- ent invention and in this situation would be used to heel or list the vessel to one side, and then to the other side when the vessel was relatively immobile or stuck in the ice pack.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an active stabilizer system with means to selectively control and selectively operate the stabilizer system as an action system, passive stabilizer system, or heeling tank system.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view in elevation of an embodiment of the invention mounted in a ship hull;

FIGURE is a more or less diagrammatic view of it the U connected to opposite ends of 'a cylinder. Their the tank'stabilizing system embodied in the'present in outer ends, or vertical portions of the U members, away fromthe cylinder are provided. with solenoid-operated valves generally designated 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d for supplying'liquid to one end of the cylinder and discharging liquid from the other end of the cylinder to openand close'the valves. Liquid under pressure is supplied to the FIGURE 4' is a table or legend indicating the opening and closing of the valves in the system during the cycle 'of operation of the normal roll of a vessel. Referring to FIGURE 1, the reference numeral so generally designates the hull of a ship in which is disposed the tank stabilizing means 11 between decks 12 and 13 of the ship. The tank stabilizing means 11 includes a gen{ erally rectangular head or reserve tank 14 having its vertical axis coinciding with the verical center line :of the ship, a sump tank 15, a port wing tank 16, and a starboard wing tank 17. a V 7 The wing tanks '16 and 17 have their horizontal axis extending through the center of rotation of the ship and solenoidyvalves- 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d through liquid supply linesSZa, 32b, 32c,.and 3202, respectively, having their inlet ends connected to anaccumulator or sump tank 33. The accur'nlator tank 33 is connected to a recirculation pipeor'line34 'communicating with the discharge side of a recirculating pump 35. The suction side of the recirculation pump is connected. to the solenoid valves 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d by discharge pipes or lines Sea, 256E350, and 36d, respectively. E V

Each solenoid valve is tour-way valve and is opera- 7 tively associated and connected to a gyro-stable element are disposed adjacentropposite sides or ends of the reserve tank and the sump tank so that the port tank 16 extends substantially beyond thele ft side or end of the reserve and sump tanks, while the starboard tank 17 extends substantially beyond the the right side or end of these tank'sand are disposed in the wings of the ship. I

However, the horizontal axist of the wing tanks can'be.

disposed at othervertical elevations or distances and do' not necessarily have to extend through the center of rotation of the ship.

member 37ft'o control the openingand closing of the solenoid valves to permit the hydraulically operated valves to be'opened and closed as'required. I The drawings illustrate the solenoid valves 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d opera tively connected to the gyro member 37 by means indicated as 38a, 38b, 38c, and 38d,' respectively. The gyro-stable, element-is Well known and. does not, per Se, from the invention, and the solenoid valves are also well known and do not, per-se, form the invention. If desired,

- the four-way 'valves could be operated manually or by The reserve tank 14 is disposed vertically in alignment with the sump tank 15 and the inner ends or sides 18 of the wing tanks are disposed between the reserveand sump tanks and are secured thereto as illustrated in the drawings. The tanks are completely closed and are provided with apertures or ports for communicating with one'an-v other. Reserve tank14iis provided with outlet ports 20 adjacent the opposite sides thereof :and disposed in the bottom thereof. The ports 20 are in alignment with and tank 15 communicates with both wing tanks through similar ports 20 in the top thereof adjacent its opposite ends and in alignment with the ports 20 in the reserve other well known-means. The gyro member is responsive to the roll or pitch of the ship so that it actuates a solenoid valve to open or close its respective plunger valve-disposed in one of the-ftanks to permit the water in the water in the tank to be discharged into another tank ,so that the ship will in order to create a moment opposing the roll of the ship quickly right itself to an even keel or tr m POSltlOH V 7 5 I Since all of the plunge'r valves are identical and are actuated or operated hydraulically in the same manner, it wril he suflicient to describe the operation of one valve 0 y Y 7 I Referringv to *FIGURE"3;'WheI1 the valve 22a is in a closed positionpthe piston 24a is disposed adjacentthe tank, and similar ports 21 disposed in the bottom inboard ends of both wing tanks. 7

Each of the corresponding ports or pairs of ports in the tanks is provided witha'plunger-type valve for controlling and regulating the flow. of water through the The hydraulic cylinders are designated 23a, 23b, Be, and 23d, while the pistons for actuating the valves are des-,

ignated 24a, 24b, 24c, and 24a, as best seen in FIGURE A pump 26 is disposed within thespace provided centrally between the tanks and has an inlet pipe or connec-:

tion 27 extending into the bottom of the sump'tank for 1 V '65 pumping Water therefrom into the upper reserve tank through a discharge pipe 28 connectedto the discharge side of the pump. Pipe 28 extends substantially to .the top of the reserve tank and has horizontal branch'outlet lower end of the cylinder oradjacent the end 40 of the cylinder nearest or toward, the tanks. At this time, the solenoidivalve 31a is closed so. that there is hydraulic liquid under pressure in the end 41 of the cylinder away frorr the tankinaintaining the piston 24- adjacent the tan t V When it is desired to openthe valve 22 11 the solenoid valve 31 is disposed to communicate the liquid supply 'line 62:; with the leg of 30a adjacent or next to the tank, andto' place the other leg of 30a, that is, the top leg thereof disposedopposite to or 'away from the tank, in communicationwith the discharge line 36a so as to bleed the liquid in the end'of the cylinder adjacent 41' back to the suction side of the recirculation pump 35. This causes the piston valve 22ato move upwardly to the open position as shown inF-IGURE 2. i

When it is desired to again close thevalve 22a to the.

position shown in FIGURE 3, the solenoid valve 31a is actuated to communicate the "hydraulic supply line 32a with the top leg of 30a adjacent theend 4101: the cylinder so as to feed liquid therein to move the piston valve 24a toward the 'tank and toward the end 40 of the cylinder to close; or seat the valve; At this time, the bottom leg of sad, or the leg adjacentt-o thetanks, communicates with the discharge line 36a to bleed liquid in the'cylinder back tothe suction side of the pump 35;" Theisolenoid valve lines 29 provided in its upper end. Thepump 26 only 7 'pumps inone direction, upwardly, and is utilized. toremove water from the sump tank to discharge it into the head orreserve tank 14.

Each hydraulic cylinder 'is provided with hydraulic I fluid supplylinesi designated $012,301), Silo, and 30d,

'which lines are substantially U-shaped, with each leg of 31 is actuated in response to the gyro-stable element 37a to which it is operatively connected in accordance with the rolling motion of the ship; All of the other valves 22b,

:220, and 22dfare operated identically.

When the ship is down "on the port side and starts moving or rollingtoward the starboard direction as illustrated in EIGURES'L and 2, the 'va1ve 22d is. in an. open posishea tion and discharges or dumps the water from the starboard wing tank 17 by gravity downwardly into the sump tank 15. Valve 22b on the starboard side of the reserve or head tank, and valve 220 on the port wing tank are closed at this time, while the valve 22a on the port side of the head or reserve tank is open and water from the head tank is dumped or discharged into the port tank 15. Simultaneously the pump 25 is pumping the Water from the sump tank .15 upwardly into the head tank 14 while water is being dumped or discharged into the port wing tank 16. It is obvious that this action gives a maximum righting moment to counteract the normal roll of a ship.

When the ship is down at the starboard side or disposed in the opposite direction or position from that shown in FIGURE 1, the opposite valves, that is, valves 22b and 220, are opened while valves 22a and 22d are closed. This permits the water in the port wing tank to be dumped or discharged into the lower sump tank 15 so that the pump 26 may discharge it into the head tank 14 while simultaneously the opening of the valve 22b permits the Water from the head tank 14 to be discharged into the starboard tank .17 to build up a force or moment which will oppose the normal rolling motion of the ship to port, and thereby counteract this normal roll and give a maximum righting moment so that the roll of the ship is reduced.

Referring to FIGURE 4, a table is given in which the different positions of the ship are described and set forth and the corresponding positions of the valves are correlated. The reference C in the legend designates the valve as being closed while the reference 0 designates the valve as being open.

Thus, with the activated tank stabilizing system of the present invention, it is apparent that a positive control of the roll of the ship is provided at all times and which system is precise and exact for different positions of the ship, and it is also further obvious that all of the valves can be disposed in a closed position and the system shut down or inactivated when the ship is in port.

With the present invention this activated stabilizer system could easily replace the heeling tanks often found in icebreakers and similar vessels. It could also be combined with a crossover connection to provide use as a passive system, an active system, or a heeling tank system.

In selectively operating the active stabilizer system as a heeling tank system, a wing tank would be filled with water by opening either of the valves 22a or 22b as desired. The water from the sump tank would be pumped up into the reserve tank 14 and then flow by gravity into the wing tank 2 which is now being used as a heeling tank. This would cause the vessel to heel, roll or list to the side of the filled Wing tank. Thereafter, the ship could be heeled in the opposite direction, or in effect be rocked back and forth from side to side by proper operation of the valves to cause the other wing tank to be filled and the operation repeated in sequence as required to break the ship loose in an ice floe or pack.

In selectively operating the active system of the present invention as a passive system it is only necessary to control the valves to permit all of the water in the system to fall by gravity into the sump tank. Thereafter valves 22c and 22d are maintained open so the water flows back and forth between the wing tanks, passing through the sump tank in doing so. The pump in not in operation at this time and valves 22a and 22b are maintained open to provide the crossover connection or air duct means between the wing tanks. If desired an independent crossover connection such as a conduit could be provided between the wing tanks, instead of utilizing the reserve tank as the crossover connection.

Inasmuch as changes may be made in the form, location and relative arrangement of the several parts of the invention without departing from the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a ships hull, a head tank extending horizontally of the hull and having it vertical axis coinciding with the vertical axis of the hull, horizontal port and starboard wing tanks disposed vertically below said head tank and disposed on opposite sides of the hull with their inboard sides adjacent the bottom of said head tank, a horizontal sump tank disposed in vertical alignment with said head tank and disposed below said wing tanks with the inboard sides of the wing tanks adjacent the opposite sides of the sump tank, port means disposed between said head tank and wing tanks for discharging liquid from said head tank to said wing tanks, other port means disposed between said sump tank and wing tanks for discharging liquid from said wing tanks into said sump tank, pump means for flowing liquid from said sump tank to said head tank, valve means for controlling the passage of liquid through said port means and other port means, hydraulic control means for actuating said valve means, said port means comprising corresponding openings in the head and wing tanks on opposite sides of the bottom of the head tank and on the inboard side of said wing tanks in the tops thereof, said other port means comprising corresponding openings in the sump tank on opposite sides of its top and on the inboard side of the wing tanks in the bottoms thereof, said valve means being plunger-type valves disposed in said corresponding and other corresponding openings, said hydraulic control for actuating said valve means including a cylinder and piston, said cylinder having a U shaped pipeline connecting in communication with each end of the cylinder, a solenoid valve disposed in said pipeline connection, and a recirculation pump having an inlet side and outlet side communicating with said pipeline connection through said solenoid valve for supplying liquid under pressure to the opposite ends of said cylinder.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein gyro-stable means are associated with said solenoid valve for actuating it.

3. In combination with a ships hull a head tank extending horizontally of the hull and having its vertical axis coinciding with the vertical axis of the hull, horizontal port and starboard wing tanks disposed below said head tank and disposed on opposite sides of the hull, a sump tank disposed below said wing tanks, first means for directing the liquid between said head tank and said port wing tank when the ships port side is lowering, second means for directing liquid between said head tank and said starboard wing tank when the starboard side of the ship is lowering, third means for directing liquid between said port wing tank and said sump tank when the starboard side of the ship is lowering, and fourth means for directing liquid between said starboard wing tank and said sump tank when the port side of the ship is lowering, pump means for flowing liquid from said sump tank into said head tank, valve means for selectively cutting oif the passage of liquid through said first, second, third, and fourth means, and control means for actuating said valve means.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said control means comprises a recirculating pump means, hydraulic control lines connected between said recirculating pump means and said valve means for enabling actuation of said valve means, and a solenoid valve disposed in each hydraulic control line for selectively communicatin g the respective valve means to said recirculating pump means.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said head tank has outboard sides spaced from the sides of the hull of the ship, and said sump tank has outboard sides spaced from the hull of the ship.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5, wherein said port and starboard wing tanks have inboard sides spaced from the center of the hull and outboard sides contiguous to the sides of the hull.

7. In combination with a ships hull a hea'd'tank'extending horizontally of the hull and havingits vertical axis {cos inciding with the vertical axis of the hull, horizontal port and starboard Wing-tanks disposed below said head tank and disposed on opposite sidesof the hull, a sump tank disposed below said wing tanks, first means for directing liquid between said head tank and one of said wing tanks, second means for, directing liquid between said head ale-5, 497

. s, i v fluid cylinder means, piston -meansmovable mounted in said cylinder means andiconnected to said blocking means, said hydraulic control lines connected'to said cylinder ;means, fluid under pressurebeing delivered to said tank and the other of said Wing tanks, third means for directing liquid between said one of said wing tanks and said sump tank, and fourth'means for directing liquid between said other of said Wing tanks an said suinp'tank,

pump means for flowing liquid'from said sump tank into;

,cylinder'means through -said hydraulic control lines in having inboard'sides spaced from thecenter-of said hull said head tank, valve means for selectively cutting off the passage of liquid through said'first, second, third, and fourth means, hydraulic control means for actuating said valve means, said hydraulic control means comprising recirculating pump means, hydraulic control lines connected" between said recirculating pump means and each of said valve means for enabling actuation offlsaid valve means, a solenoid valve disposed ineach hydraulic control line for selectively communicating the' respective valve means to said recirculating 'pump means, said valve means compris- 7 ing movable blocking means adapted to open and close and outboard sides contiguous thesides of the hull.

References Cited by the Examiner V UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,813,976 71/31 wardle '114--12s 2,066,150 1 2/3 Hort 114-125 3,103,198 9/63 Rip1ey' 114 125 FOREIGN PATENTS 321,470 10 34 Italy.

each of said first, second, third, and fourth means, a 25 FERGUS S; MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A SHIP''S HULL, A HEAD TANK EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY OF THE HULL AND HAVING IT VERTICAL AXIS COINCIDING WITH THE VERTICAL AXIS OF THE HULL, HORIZONTAL PORT AND STARBOARD WING TANKS DISPOSED VERTICALLY BELOW SAID HEAD TANK AND DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE HULL WITH THEIR INBOARD SIDES ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF SAID HEAD TANK, A HORIZONTAL SUMP TANK DISPOSED IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID HEAD TANK AND DISPOSED BELOW SAID WING TANKS WITH THE INBOARD SIDES OF THE WING TANKS ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SUMP TANK, PORT MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID HEAD TANK AND WING TANKS FOR DISCHARGING LIQUID FROM SAID HEAD TANK TO SAID WING TANKS, OTHER PORT MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SUMP TANK AND WING TANKS FOR DISCHARGING LIQUID FROM SAID WING TANKS INTO SAID SUMP TANK, PUMP MEANS FOR FLOWING LIQUID FROM SAID SUMP TANK TO SAID HEAD TANK, VALVE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE PASSAGE OF LIQUID THROUGH SAID PORT MEANS AND OTHER PORT MEANS, HYDRAULIC CONTROL MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID VALVE MEANS, SAID PORT MEANS COMPRISING CORRESPONDING OPENINGS OF THE HEAD TANK AND ON THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE BOTTOM OF THE HEAD TANK AND ON THE INBOARD SIDE OF SAID WING TANKS IN THE TOPS THEREOF, SAID OTHER PORT MEANS COMPRISING CORRESPONDING OPENINGS IN THE SUMP TANK ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF ITS TOP AND ON THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE WING TANKS IN THE BOTTOMS THEREOF, SAID VALVE MEANS BEING PLUNGER-TYPE VALVES DISPOSED IN SAID CORRESPONDING AND OTHER CORRESPONDING OPENINGS, SAID HYDRAULIC CONTROL FOR ACTUATING SAID VALVE MEANS INCLUDING A CYLINDER AND PISTON, SAID CYLINDER HAVING A U SHAPED PIPELINE CONNECTING IN COMMUNICATION WITH EACH END OF THE CYLINDER, A SOLENOID VALVE DISPOSED IN SAID PIPELINE CONNECTION, AND A RECIRCULATION PUMP HAVING AN INLET SIDE AND OUTLET SIDE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID PIPELINE CONNECTION THROUGH SAID SOLENOID VALVE FOR SUPPLYING LIQUID UNDER PRESSURE TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CYLINDER. 